1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an endoscope and, more particularly, to an endoscope including an indicator such as a lamp, a flasher, a buzzer, a speaker, a display and the like for indicating a locking state of a terminal portion of a scope.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, as well known, a conventional endoscope includes a scope to be inserted into the inside of an internal organ such as the stomach and the like, a vertical angle adjusting knob for adjusting a bending angle of a hard terminal portion of the scope in the vertical direction, and a horizontal angle adjusting knob for adjusting the bending angle of the hard terminal portion of the scope in the horizontal direction. When the terminal portion of the scope is temporarily locked at the desired bending angle, a pair of locking devices attached to the respective vertical and horizontal angle adjusting knobs are operated. However, even when the vertical and horizontal locking devices are operated to lock the terminal portion of the scope, usually, the vertical and horizontal angle adjusting knobs can be freely turned in a manual operation to change the bending angle of the terminal portion of the scope. If the locked terminal portion of the scope is carelessly moved during an operation using the endoscope, a subject may readily suffer damage, which is very dangerous for the subject, and thus an operator must memorize whether the terminal portion of the scope is locked or not.
However, the conventional endoscope is not provided with such an indicator for indicating the locked state of the terminal portion of the scope, and the operator is required to consciously and clearly memorize whether the hard terminal portion of the scope is locked or not. When the operator's memory of the locking state of the terminal portion becomes uncertain during the operation of the endoscope, he will move his eye to the locking devices in order to confirm whether the locking devices are operated or not. Further, when the locking state of the terminal portion of the scope is confirmed by eye, if locking positions of locking levers of the locking devices are not clearly memorized, a misunderstanding or a mistake is liable to happen in judging whether the locking devices are functioned or not, which is also dangerous and inconvenient.